Indian Bowlers Didn't Attempt To Bounce Out Steve Smith - Brad Hogg

Former Australian spinner, Brad Hogg is surprised by the fact that the Indian pacers didn’t attempt enough short balls against Steve Smith on Sunday.

Steve Smith was rampant against India in the second ODI in Sydney as he struck his second consecutive hundred – 11th overall and 5th versus India – guiding Australia to a gigantic total of 389/4, which by the end of the night was 51 more than what the visitors could manage.

Steve Smith’s weakness is with the short-ball: Brad Hogg

Along with Steve Smith’s masterclass batting, he was helped by some ordinary bowling by the Indians. Brad Hogg, in his YouTube video, points out that the Indian seamers – Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Navdeep Saini – didn’t attempt bouncers when Smith came to bat. Brad Hogg observed that the pacers dished out full length and good length balls.

In his YouTube video, Bradd Hogg said, “The big issue for me for India was when Steve Smith came out, they didn’t attempt to bounce him out at any stage. They bowled on a good length or a little fuller. I can’t understand that, because Steve Smith’s weakness is with the short-ball.”

The 49-year-old feels that the short ball is Steve Smith’s only weakness. Earlier in the year, when Australia hosted New Zealand, Neil Wagner exploited this weakness of Smith, as he dismissed the Australian 4 times with short balls.

The former spinner said that sine Smith shuffles a lot and has a bit of an open stance, he is vulnerable against the short stuff. Brad Hogg advises the Indian pacers that they could use this tactic in the entire tour. The third ODI is scheduled for Wednesday in Canberra followed by 3 T20Is and 4 Test matches.

“Steve Smith walks around, he was both legs planted and he is a little chest-on. So he can’t duck and leave and has to play the pull shot. You could have set the entire tour up by having Steve Smith on the back foot,” Brad Hogg added.

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